The Other Gates Kid
by Mrs.Hedlund2007
Summary: Ben has never had a great relationship with anyone, but his little sister. So when he is on the run with Riley, Abigail, and the Declaration he has only one person to turn to. His little sister. Unfortunately...Riley seems to like her too. HIATUS.
1. She’s Pregnant

**_She's Pregnant_**

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"At least one of my children has a brain and doesn't obsess with that nonsense treasure," my father groaned, as he settled down into his chair, turning on the evening news. "At least I have one child who knows that life doesn't run on myths and legends, and it runs on money and good work ethic."

"Yeah, whatever you say," I yawned, as I closed my Art History textbook and rubbed my eyes with the back of my hands.

This is why I hated that I didn't have my own place. But I needed to save money, and my father let me stay here for free, he even gave me food too. He always said that if my older brother would have followed in my footsteps that he would have been more than willing to give him a place to stay too.

But Ben had a dream. A dream of a great treasure.

I sighed and looked over at my father. He had been nothing but depressed and argumentative since my mother left him. And my mother was obsessed in work and thought of nothing more and nothing less.

But then again she had always been more controlling than my father, which is why my name is so messed up.

See most of the men in my father's family have names that go along with someone in the American Revolution, which is also true to with women too. For example my brother is names **Benjamin Franklin** Gates. My Father is **Patrick Henry** Gates. And my grandfather was **John Adams** Gates.

And originally my name was going to by **Deborah Sampson** Gates. But my mother was appalled when she heard this and compromised with my father to call me Andrea **Deborah-Sampson** Gates.

Trying having to learn how to spell that name in the first grade. I tell you my whole life has been hell because of that name.

"Have you talked to Ben lately?" I inquired, trying to see if he had kept to his promise and talk to my brother at least once a month.

My father stubbornly looked forward at the television screen, making me groan.

I swear, if my father dropped dead, my brother wouldn't come just because he still held a grudge against my father for not talking to him.

Ben can be just as stubborn as my mother.

Sometimes I think I am the only normal one in this family.

My father then looked over at me and questioned, obviously trying to change the topic," How has your work been treating you?"

"Good, but then again I'm nothing but a tour guide" I sighed, as I picked up my book and got up off the lounge chair. "But I have an early day tomorrow, so I'm going to bed."

"Good work ethic," My father smiled happily, wagging his finger at me.

I sauntered over to my father, before smiling and giving him my traditional goodnight kiss upon the top of his balding head.

"You sleep tight, hun," he smiled, as he stood up slightly to kiss my cheek.

"You too, dad," I smiled back, and began walking over to the stairs that led up to my room I had been in all my life.

I gave one last fleeing glance at the cold pizza upon the table. It was so delicious yet so fattening. And I didn't need my father to start picking on me for eating too much.

But as I glanced out the window, I spotted an old maroon van stalled in front of my childhood home.

Curiously I leaned closer to the window to try and see who was in the car, if it was my neighbors or not, but all I saw was the back of the head of some man, who was talking in the car seat next to him.

I sighed, thinking it was nothing, probably someone's lost family members.

With that I made my way back up stairs, not caring or bothering to warn my father about the odd sight.

When I arrived in my bedroom, I instantly placed my book upon my bed, and began setting out my clothes for tomorrow and picking out my pajamas.

Until I heard our classic, and old, door bell ring.

Quickly I rushed down the stairs, only to see my father unlock the door and open it, without bothering to look through the peep hole.

My father looked shocked, as his eyes darted across the area in front of him.

Quietly I slinked forward closer to the door, still unable to see outside, because of the angle I was at.

"Dad."

I froze. That was defiantly Ben's voice.

My father fiend a fake smile, as he kept looking at who I assumed to be my brother. "Where's the party?"

"Uh, well, uh..." my brother fumbled," I'm in a little trouble."

With that I gawked at my father, who I knew could see me out of the corner of his eyes.

He then glanced over at me, and then looked away from me," Is she pregnant?"

I gawked again, and instantly stepped up to my father's side in curiosity.

"Hey Dra." My brother weakly smiled at me, standing in a tuxedo, with a young man standing next to him in jeans, a shirt, sweater, and jacket, with cute black rimmed glasses around his bright blue eyes. Behind both of them was a rather pretty woman, who was dressed in a ball gown of sorts, but shaking, with a jacket wrapped around her.

I then noticed my brother hiding something behind him, making me scowl.

"Abigail. Riley. This is my little sister, Andrea."

The woman, Abigail, gave me a weak smile, while the other guy, Riley, gave me a cute, yet oddly geeky, smile. "Hey."

"Is she pregnant?" my father questioned again, sounding rather stern.

Abigail looked at both Riley and Ben in shock, and held her jacket closer to her body.

"I'm Riley Poole," Riley stuck out his hand for me to shake, still looking at me, like his bright blue orbs were glued to me. Obviously ignoring Abigail.

I couldn't help but smile at his odd mannerism. "I'm Dra." I reached out and shook his hand, only hearing a groan come from both my father and brother at the same time and same way.

I shot both of them glares, as I retracted my hand from Riley's surprisingly gentle grasp.

Ben then answered, in a teasing manor," Well, if she is, are you gonna leave the woman carrying your grandchild standing out in the cold?"

Riley then looked down at the ground and brought his hand up to his face, as if to stifle a laugh, but tried to pass it off as a serious and in thought expression.

"I look pregnant?" Abigail looked over at Riley, and questioned.

Riley, unconvincingly shook his head no, making Abigail sourly scrunch up her noise before looking over at me.

Quickly I looked away from her and Riley, up at my brother. I noticed how he was still starring at my father, as if he was begging him to let him in.

I glanced up at my dad, before taking his forearm. He, of course, looked over at me, in question, but I just encouragingly smiled up at him, hoping he would understand my hint of letting my brother and his friends in.

My father groaned in defeat, and looked up at Ben and his friends again, before lifting up his hand and motioning for them to come in.

I smiled at him in return, before letting go of his arm, allowing my father to go back inside.

I then looked over at my brother and happily smiled, before lunging over and hugging him.

"How come you didn't call, I could have prepared him?" I teased, as my brother gave me a one armed hug.

"We'll talk about it later, Dra," he sighed, patting the back of my head, before letting me out of his grasp.

I then stepped back into the house, allowing my brother the follow behind me, with Riley and Abigail lining up behind him.

I then poked my brother in the chest, stopping him from coming any further into the house. I then quietly warned him," This better not be about that dumb treasure, or else dad will go ballistic."

But Ben just gently shrugged off my hand, and continued into the living room, with Riley and Abigail following behind him.

We each exchanged a nod of the head to one another, before I shut the front door and locked it.

"Well, have a seat." My father sighed in the living room, which Ben had just walked in with his friends. "Make yourselves comfortable. There's some pizza. It's still warm…I think."

I rolled my eyes, I had ordered that pizza at least four hours ago and had been nibbling on it COLD for the whole night.

I sauntered into the living room, only to feel the oddly familiar feeling of being the shortest person in the room. But then again I had always been short, and I was only 5'3", which made it physically impossible for anyone, except children to be shorter then me.

"Dad…" Ben had marched over to one side of the room with my father, in hand, while Riley had found his spot next to the pizza, stuffing his face with it, while Abigail just stood behind him, admiring my father's inheritance of antiquities.

I quietly, sat down in the chair across from Riley and watched as he began upon his second slice of pizza.

Man, he eats fast.

"I need the Silence Dogood letters." My brother admitted, making me look at him curiously.

Hadn't dad told him he got ride of the letters?

But obviously he hadn't for he had rocked back onto his heels, in a dumbfounded manor.

"Yeah, it's about the treasure," my brother continued to admit, making me groan loudly, and throw my head back against the chair.

"I knew! I knew it!" My father declared loudly, before looking over at Riley and Abigail. "And he dragged you two into this nonsense?"

"Literally!" Abigail nodded vivaciously in agreement, while Riley dumbly smiled and answered," I volunteered."

I gawked at both of them, especially at Riley for believing in my brother's and grandfather's nonsense.

"Well, un-volunteer, before you ruin your life!" My father shouted at Riley, while my brother looked over at me in desperation, in a way to calm down our father or at least defend him-like I usually did.

"Knock it off, Dad," My brother warned, as he approached my father, with what looked to be a container for a map or poster hanging off of his back.

"Sure, sure, I know," My father shouted again, throwing his hands up in the air," your sister and I are the family kooks!"

Riley began stuffing another slice of pizza in his mouth, making me look at him again. Ben must have been depriving him of food!

"We have a job, a house, health insurance," my father rambled on, while I kept watching Riley ravenously eat all of the slice of pizza. "At least I had your mother, for however brief a time. At least I had you and your sister. What do you have?"

It was then Riley had noticed my starring, and just pushed back his glasses with his pinky, which wasn't covered in grease, and smiled at me.

I smiled back at him, before quietly teasing, making sure we didn't interrupt the argument between my father and brother," Good pizza, huh?"

He nodded in agreement, as he began to lick his fingers clean.

"Him?"

Riley and I both looked at each other curiously for a second, before I saw my father pointing over at Riley, with a mocking face.

Riley just nervously smiled, before he began eating the last slice of pizza.

Ben groaned and pleaded," Look, if you just give us the letters, we're gone."

My father, as if to hide the fact he didn't have the letters, began walking away, grumbling," You disappoint me, Ben."

I sighed to myself, and looked over at Ben, who seemed to be boiling up with rage.

"Well, maybe that's the real Gates-family legacy. Sons who disappoint their fathers!"

At this point my father turned around and starred Ben right in the eyes, while Ben walked back next to him.

My father than inhaled, and I could tell he was debating between apologizing or kicking my brother out. But his stubbornness prevailed.

"Get out. Take your troubles with you."

"Dad!" I whined in protest. "It's Ben! Your son!" I got up off the chair and marched up to my tall father and brother. I then placed my hands upon my hips in agitation," If you two would stop being so stubborn and headstrong then maybe this family wouldn't be as messed up as it is."

Ben and my father both lowered their heads in defeat, mirroring each other exactly, making me deviously smile.

"I found the Charlotte," Ben whispered.

Instantly father and I looked up at him in shock. The Charlotte was real?

"The Charlotte?" My father repeated to make sure his hearing hadn't gone. "You mean she was a ship?"

"Yeah," Ben smiled happily," she was beautiful. It was amazing, Dad.-"he then looked down at me"-You would have loved her, Dra."

"And the treasure?" I pressed, grabbing onto his forearm, just like I had with my father.

Ben the opened his mouth and closed it before opening it again.

Instantly I scowled and pulled myself off of his arm. There was no treasure. I knew it!

"No, no," Ben stammered," But we found another clue that led us here."

My father shook his head again, while I made my way back over to the chair, in defeat.

Then my father cut off Ben and sneered," Yeah, and that'll lead you to another clue. And that's all you'll ever find, is another clue. Don't you get it, Ben?"

Sadly I looked down at my crossed arms, for I knew where my father was going with this argument. He was going down the same road that he had done the other night, when I had tried to stand up for Ben and his dream.

My father then began stepping away from Ben, and over to the fire place, and in an animated manor began explaining his theory. "I finally figured it out! The legend says that the treasure was buried to keep it from the British. But what really happened was the legend was invented, to keep the British occupied searching for buried treasure."

I looked over at Ben, who was uncomfortably starring at our father, trying to restrain himself from chocking him.

"The treasure is a myth."

Ben then bluntly retorted," I refuse to believe that."

My brother and father just starred at each other for awhile.

"Well," I took a deep breath, and nonchalantly continued," you can believe what you want. You're a grown person, Ben. I personally believe that's there is such a thing as the President's Book, but you don't see me going out to find it. This is what dad is trying to say."

"The President's book?" Riley questioned looking at me in interest.

"I'll explain it to you later," Ben groaned to Riley, before I could even explain to Riley, before I heard Abigail snort," There is no such thing as the President's Book."

I shot her a glare, before Riley intervened, obviously taking up my old job of trying to keep the peace," Ladies! Ladies! Practice what you preach."

I rolled my eyes at him, before my father resumed his ranting," Do what you want, Ben. Do what you want."

With that my father began walking over into his office, huffing, as he did so.

We all silently looked over at each other, before Abigail sourly murmured," He's probably right. You don't even know if there is another clue."

My brother then looked over at me and smirked, like he would when we were children and he needed my help with something.

"Well, I can think of a way where we could find out. And we can find out right now."


	2. Heat, What You Need Is Heat

**_Heat, What You Need Is Heat_**

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"Dad, calm down," I cooed, as I reclined him back in a chair in front of the TV. "Don't give yourself an aneurysm."

"What are they doing in the dinning room?" My father pressed, crossing his arms, like a child would.

"Trying to see if there is another clue." I sighed, knowing he hated that.

He huffed again, before hissing to me, as if we were committing a conspiracy," Watch them. I don't trust them."

I nodded in understanding, and carefully slinked over to the dining room, where they had already changed it into an area to check historical documents for hidden passages.

Ben and I use to do this sort of stuff with our mom all the time.

Man, I miss the good old days.

Abigail and Ben were both hunched over the aged paper, with gloves upon their hands, while Riley, like a lost kid just stood there, trying to be apart of it, but he had obviously no idea what was going on.

"So where were you earlier tonight that you had to get all snazzy for?" I inquired in a sisterly tone, as I leaned against the door frame, crossing my arms right underneath my bust.

"We were at a-""Dinner party!" Ben finished before Riley could answer my question, completely.

"And what dinner party would, you three, be invited too all together?" I sneered, before Abigail murmured, loudly," Could you please stop talking, we have something important going on here."

I shot her a glare, before hissing, in a sarcastic tone," If I didn't know any better I would think you stole the Declaration of Independence."

But that was when I saw Riley freeze up slightly, while my brother and Abigail unsurely looked at the blank side of the ancient piece of paper.

My arms fell from their crossed position, unable to imagine that my brother, Abigail, and Riley stole something of that caliber. And due to their silence I had to acknowledge their guilt.

"Looks like animal skin." My father abruptly commented over my shoulder, making me jump slightly.

Instantly everyone looked up at my father, while I nervously readjusted my pose so I looked like I had before.

"How old is it?" My father inquired, trying to piece together what they were doing on his kitchen table.

Ben then took a deep breath, and answered, while Abigail and Riley went back to fondling the sheet of paper," At least two hundred years."

"Really?" My father questioned again, adjusting the pile of trash in his arms. "You sure?"

"Pretty darn," Ben answered sourly, making me bit my tongue in refrain from screaming in shock.

Riley then began, not caring that my father or I were in the room," Now, if this thing's in invisible ink, how do we look at it?" He looked back up at Abigail and Ben in curiosity, obviously willing to learn.

"Throw it in the oven," My father abruptly shouted.

Abigail and Ben instantly shouted," No!" while Riley shook his head and childishly answered," Uh-uh!"

I sighed, being the mediator between the two groups, and explained," Ferrous sulfate inks can only be brought out with heat. It's basic chem."

"Yes, but this-""It's very old! This is very old, and we can't risk compromising the map." Ben cut Abigail off, before she even had a chance to say what I thought she was going to say.

My father shrugged his shoulders, and repeated, in a nagging tone," You need a reagent."

With that my father began trailing out of the hallway behind me, and into the kitchen.

"Dad, it's really late." Ben groaned in an agitated tone, making me add on," Why don't you get some rest? I can watch them and make sure they get out okay."

"I'm fine." My father shouted back, reminding of the old senior citizen he was.

Ben shook his head, before looking over at me. "Is he always like this? Hovering?"

I nodded, while I noticed Riley starring at me again.

Of course in return, I looked back at him and smiled, in an encouraging manor. After all I didn't want a seemingly cute guy to be afraid of me, just because I wasn't exactly like Ben or my father.

"Lemons." Ben commanded, holding his hand over to Riley, who had the bowl of chopped lemons in front of him.

Riley handed him one lemon slice, and instantly Ben held it over the paper, ready to squeeze it.

"You can't do that!" Abigail protested, grabbing his wrist.

"But it has to be done." Ben reminded her.

Abigail then retorted, rubbing her career in my brother's face," Then someone who is trained to handle antique documents is gonna do it."

"Ok." My brother sighed, as he looked at her.

But I knew that look. It was a look of defeat and one of acceptance. Which would probably soon be followed by that look of "love"

When my brother crushes, he crushed hard.

Abigail then took the lemon from my brother, who leaned away from the paper, which I was quiet sure was the Declaration of Independence.

"Ok," she took a deep breath, before wiping the sweat off of her brow," Now, uh, if there is a secret message-"she paused to grabbed a Q-Tip"-it'll probably be marked by a symbol in the upper right-hand corner."

"That's right," My brother repeated, looking dazed at Abigail.

And I saw Abigail blush, before she rubbed the Q-Tip against the lemon.

"I'm so getting fired for this," she growled to herself, as she leaned over the paper.

"Where do you work?" I inquired, only to have Riley answer me, before anyone could even stop him.

"National Archives."

I smiled and nodded to Riley in thanks, while Ben and Abigail just groaned to themselves.

"So you must have known about the Gala tonight?" I smiled, and then pointed to her dress and the tuxedo on Ben.

The two of them ignored me, while Riley smiled," I was out in the van."

I lifted up an eyebrow, before looking over at my brother. "And why was he in a van?"

"Not right now, Dra." My brother groaned, rubbing his temples, while Abigail, kept rubbing the Q-Tip against the lemon.

I then stepped closer to them and hissed," I have risked my ass for you, Ben! I defend you all the time! And back in college do your remember what I did?"

Ben groaned loudly turning around, giving me his back, while Riley inquired, titling his head to the side," What did you do?"

"I-""She wrote a whole essay on the Revolutionary War on me, which I ended up being honored for."

"Wow!" Riley looked up at me in shock, before I smiled at him and murmured," Let's just say, not all of the brains in the family went to him."

"I can't believe this family," Abigail sighed, before looking over at me.

That was when I noticed an oddly humble smile, flicker, across her face. "You work at the Library of Congress right?"

I nodded, while she smiled," I've seen you around, doing tours right?"

I nodded again, before answering," I don't see myself ever really leaving that building."

"Good for you," she smiled at me, before she leaned over the paper, and began to gently stroke the corner of the paper with the lemon soaked Q-Tip.

I eagerly looked over the corner of the table, at the sheet of the paper, finding Riley standing right next to me, eagerly leaning over too.

"You know what it is? Don't you?" He whispered over at me, glancing at me from the corner of his eye, while Ben and Abigail listened.

"I have an idea," I murmured back, before looking up at Ben," and if my idea is true, Ben, if you need any help- you know money wise- just ask."

Ben nodded in understanding, while Abigail pulled back the Q-Tip, only to revealing nothing but lemon juice soaked paper.

Riley sighed in defeat, beginning to stand up, but I grabbed him by his coat collar, and pulled him back down.

"It isn't over yet," I explained to him, while my father's voice echoed," I told you. You need heat."

So with that the four of us looked at one another, but Ben nodded to me then to Abigail.

I smiled proudly, before mimicking Abigail's movements and began to blow warm air pass my lips and onto the paper.

Instantly a faded symbol appeared upon the paper.

I looked over at Riley and smiled. "See, you just needed heat."

Riley's face lit up with joy, before he looked over at me. "You're smart."

"Thanks, Mr. Poole," I teased, poking his shoulder in a friendly manor, making both us chuckle under our breath.

"We need more juice."

"We need more heat."

I sighed, and stood up. "My job here is complete."

"Mine too," Riley answered, standing up next to me.

"Oh really?" I inquired, once again teasing him.

He nodded, while Ben looked up at me and teased," It's probably for the better. After all you are a klutz and Riley doesn't understand any of this."

"I'm not a klutz," I defended, crossing my arms once again. "I just have a lack of coordination."

"You seem perfectly coordinated to me," Riley smiled, seeming somewhat stupid or majorly crushing on me.

I kingly smiled back at him, before scowling at my brother, and pointed with my thumb to Riley," And you left him in the van."

"Yeah, you left me in the van." Riley seconded, mimicking my disappointed tone.

I couldn't help but smile. He was actually not that bad of a guy.


	3. Ottendorf Cipher

**_Ottendorf Cipher_**

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"So how come you aren't like your brother?"

I looked up and over at Riley, after drinking some of my coco-cola. "What do you mean, _**like**_ my brother?"

"Well," Riley sighed, leaning against the table I was sitting upon, which was the same table that Abigail and Ben had the Declaration of Independence. "You aren't as obsessed about this treasure thing as Ben is."

Nodding in understanding of his question he posed to me, and I explained, in a sigh of my own," Let's just say my mother and father had more influence over me, then my grandfather did, and they really wanted me to…rebuild the family name you could say."

"Oh…" Riley glanced over me again, and questioned," I don't remember seeing you there…at the Library of Congress I mean. Ben and I were there the other day, getting…information."

"I'm a tour guide, I doubt you would have actually seen me, because the tours don't go inside the actually library, only around it and in the little museum that it has." I answered, before I took another sip.

Riley nodded, still starring at me in a goo-goo eyed manor.

But I couldn't help but feel my eyes magnetically shift up to his bright blue ones.

"We've got something!" Ben declared, making Riley and I spin around to see what they had found.

And there I saw a code of numbers appearing then disappearing upon the back of the Declaration.

"That's not a map," Riley snorted. But I sent him a small glare out of the corner of my eyes, trying to tell him not to assume everything.

But he obviously saw my glare, and turned to me nervously. "Is it?"

"More clues." My father bitterly butted in," What a surprise."

Ben began writing down the numbers, while Abigail went over them with the hairdryer.

Eagerly we all leaned in to see what Ben was writing, even my father had leaned in-but he still kept distance between us.

"Are those latitudes and longitudes?" Riley questioned looking between Ben and me.

Ben shook his head and explained," That's why we need the Silence Dogood letters."

Then like a tree falling down, it all hit me. Ottendorf Cipher! The numbers were a code for a page, line, and letter to spell something out to lead them to the treasure.

Shit. Dad shouldn't have gotten rid of those letters.

"That's the key?" Abigail questioned, turning off the hairdryer.

"Yeah," Ben copied down the last few digits, while I began to scoot away from the table. "'The key in Silence undetected.'"

Ben then took a deep breath, and looked up at my father, who looked over at the document in a somber manor.

"Dad, can we have the letters now?"

Riley then whined, like a child," Will somebody please explain to me what these magic numbers are?"

"It's an Ottendorf cipher." I answered matter-of-factly, but he just starred at me as if I was speaking Japanese or had grown a third eye ball.

"That's right," My father smiled at me proudly.

I smiled had at him, mirroring his proud behavior, but Riley's confused," Oh, ok" made me look back at him. "What's an Ottendorf cipher?"

My father explained, sounding pleasant again," They're just codes."

But Ben began to explain, in terms Riley could understand, as he motioned to the disappearing codes," Each of these three numbers corresponds to a word in a key."

Abigail then stood up and explained further," Usually a random book or newspaper article."

"In this case the Silence Dogood letters. So it's like the page number of the key text, the line on the page, and the letter in that line." Ben stood up and looked over at my father. "So, Dad, where are the letters?"

I quietly looked down at the ground near my feet, while I nervously bit my lip.

"You know, it's just by sheer happenstance that his grandfather-""Dad!" "-even found them."

I knew by the tone of Ben's voice, he knew something was up.

I gulped quietly, while my father continued to ramble," They were in an antique desk from the press room-""Dad!" "-of _The New England Courant_. That's a newspaper."

"Dad," I slowly looked up and over at my brother, who was obviously worried," where are the letters?"

Then my father bluntly answered," I don't have them, son."

My brother starred at him in shock for a second, before repeating," What?"

"I don't have them."

Riley gawked and let out a quiet groan, before Abigail nervously looked over at Ben. Ben then collapsed back onto his seat, before he scowled at our father, then at me as he pulled his gloves off of his hands.

Ben then cleared his throat, before questioning," Where are they?"

"He donated them to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia." I sighed in defeat, as I scratched the back of my head in worry.

Ben then quickly announced," Time to go." Ben then stood up and began walking away. Abigail starred down at the document, while Riley still gawked at me and my father.

"I still can't believe it." Abigail began, making me and my father look back at her. "All this time no one knew what was on the back."

"The back of what?" My father questioned, and before I knew it e was lifting up the fragile paper.

"Whoa!" "No!" We all shouted at me father, as he began to shake. He knew it now.

"Oh, my god. Oh, my god." My father began to shake and tremble.

Ben sighed in defeat, as if our father had seen a playboy magazine instead of a stolen document. "I know".

"Oh, my god," My father looked at Ben in shock," What have you done? This is…this is the…"

"I know!"

"This is the Declaration of Independence!"

"Dad," I warned reaching out to pull him back onto a chair," calm down. Please remember your blood pressure."

"The declaration of Independence," he repeated shaking, as Abigail began to pry his hands from the fragile piece of paper. "Yes," Abigail cooed," And it's very delicate."

I settled my father back into a chair, while he accused Ben, Riley, and Abigail," You stole it?"

Riley childishly pointed directly at Ben, with his bright yellow gloves still on his hands.

I rolled my eyes at him, and smacked his hand away from Ben.

"Ow!" he whined, but then I returned his childish antics by wagging my finger at him like a parent would do.

He scowled, while Ben began," Dad, I can explain, but I don't have time. It was necessary. And you saw the cipher."

But my father shot up, in a determined manor, pushing me away from him," And that will lead to another clue, and that will lead to another clue!"

He then began his grand speech again, while I settled down next to Riley in defeat. "There is no treasure. I wasted twenty years of my life. And now you've destroyed yours. And you pulled me into all this. And your little sister."

Ben paused and looked between me and my father.

"Well, we can't have that."

I lifted up my eyebrow at Ben, who then smirked at me," Well, Dra, what do you say?"


	4. Common Sense

**_Common Sense_**

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Yawning, I curled up into a ball in the back of my father's Cadillac Deville. I rested my head against the back seat.

"Your dad's got a sweet ride." Riley groggily commented loudly, across the opposite side of the back seat from me.

I smiled back at his closed eye form. "I'll accept that for comment for him."

"I think we should change clothes." Ben commented back at me, Riley, and Abigail. "We look kind of conspicuous don't you think?"

"I'd love to go shopping, too," Riley honestly commented, making me open one of my eyes and giggle at him. He then opened one of his eyes back at me, smiling, but then he quickly continued onto Ben," but we have no money."

Ben then sighed and passed our father's old edition of _Common Sense_ (where he kept his emergency stash of money) to Abigail. "Here, I took this from his house."

Abigail looked down at the book curiously, while I explained," He usually tucks a few hundred dollars somewhere between those pages."

Then I overheard Abigail muse," _Common Sense_. How appropriate."

"When are we gonna get there?"

I then closed my eyes, trying to catch a few "Zzz"s before we got to whatever destination was going to be. But Riley's childishly complaining only made me laugh quiet under my breath to myself.

"I'm hungry. This car smells, weird."

I then teased," And you talk too much."

"Amen to that," my brother chuckled, before I felt a small nudge fro Riley's foot at my butt, like Ben would do to me, when he was picking on me.

I opened one eye, and saw Riley rolling over onto his side, as if nothing had happened.

I smiled and closed my eye once again. "Have a good nap, Mr. Poole."

"You too," Riley yawned before I dozed off.

But I swear I thought I heard Abigail comment," They are complete opposites if you ask me."


	5. Pass and Stow

**_Pass and Stow_**

_

* * *

_

I nonchalantly sat down next to Riley, while we both sat next together in front of the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

"Do you really think that little kid will help us?" Riley questioned, as he squinted at the building before us, across the busy street. "I mean he has given up most of his afternoon to help us, but what says he won't bail on us now?"

I leaned forward, letting my hands play with my jeans. And hopefully cooed," If he has done this much for us, what says he won't finish the last few for us?"

"True," Riley sighed, while the little boy, Spencer, ran back to us-still dressed in his school uniform.

Riley sat up and held up the paper he had been writing the letters down upon, quickly pulling his pencil out from behind his ear.

"S-S-A-N-D." Spencer declared, as he ran towards Riley and me.

He plopped down upon the bench, next to me, before passing me the little sheet of paper Riley had constructed for him to use.

"Ok. Huh." Riley grunted, as he wrote it upon the newspaper. "You're sure this is right?"

Both Riley and I glanced over at Spencer, who just sent a glare to Riley, making me smile and tease Riley," I would take that as a yes, if I were you."

Riley rolled his eyes at me, and groaned," Ok".

I leaned against Riley, and watched him, as he wrote out the next four letters, murmuring to himself, but it was utterly incoherent.

But when he wrote "N", it looked like a sideways "c".

"No, N!" Spencer pointed out, leaning over me-accidentally bumping into my breast.

Of course this caught me off guard, making me squeak in surprise, and I jumped against Riley, who starred at me then Spencer.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything," Spencer defended himself, as he just shyly looked up at me.

I sighed, and placed my hand upon my collar bone, trying to clam down my breathing. "It's okay, Spencer. It was an accident."

Riley then rolled his eyes, and murmured," Just because she has boobs, doesn't mean you can go and grabbin' them, kid."

"I wasn't!" Spencer scowled, while I starred at Riley at shock for a second.

I then scolded Riley, lightly," It was a accident, Riley.-" But then I changed my tone and sweetly smiled, trying to seem sarcastic at the same time," And thank you for reminding me of what gender I am, by using childish names for body parts."

"Your welcome," Riley mumbled sarcastically back to me, before he sent a small childlike glare to Spencer.

I rolled my eyes at him, and then pointed to his "N" upon the newspaper. "But that really doesn't look like an 'N', Riley."

"That is an 'N'." Riley pouted.

Spencer then joined in," It doesn't look like an 'N'."

Riley sent Spencer another small glare, before he growled, and erased the numbers and letters that were upon the piece of paper him made Spencer had been used.

I then took the pencil away from Riley and scribbled down the last few remaining numbers, before passing the small slid of paper to Spencer.

"Here, this is the last one. Ok?" I smiled at Spencer, who smiled and took the piece of paper from my hand.

"And one more dollar." Riley groaned, as he took it out of his pocket and passed it over to Spencer.

Spencer then devious smiled, like most children would for money, and took the green piece of paper," Thank you".

Then like talking to a dog, Riley pointed back at the Institute," Go get the last four letters!"

Spencer then took off, while I lightly cheered behind him," Go get 'em, chief. Come on!"

I sighed and leaned back into the stone back of the bench, while Riley unfolded his piece of paper, and murmured," Let's see."

I then looked over his slumped shoulder, while he began at the beginning of his writing. He then took his pencil from the space I had left in between our thighs, and he began using it to help separate the letters and form words.

"Okay," Riley sighed, and he began to formulate," The vision to see the treasured past comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of pass and…Pass and what?"

He repeated again," Pass and what? Pass and what?"

"Stow," it literally had just flowed off of my tongue and out for Riley to hear.

"Stow?" Riley repeated starring at me, while like I was crazy. "How did you get that?"

I then smiled and pointed to the image of the liberty bell of the stalled bus," Pass and Stow were the makers of the liberty bell, if I recall correctly."

Riley then twitched his head back to the bus, and question," By any chance do you think that is on the bell, the word 'Stow'?"

"Maybe," I shrugged again.

But Riley kept starring at the bus, before he suddenly jumped up," It is!"

"Really?" I looked up at him curiously. "Do you have magnifying vision on those glasses or something?"

But then savoring the moment, like I use to do-when Ben and I would compete for knowledge-Riley began to pump his arm up and down, like someone would do when they score something.

"You really are into this treasure stuff, aren't you?" I teased him. But he ignored me, still trying to basque in the glory.

So I sighed, and waited for Spencer just to be safe, but then I noticed Spencer walking out of the building, with a rather tall blonde man behind him and several skin heads.

"Hey look there's Spencer." I smiled up at Riley, as the bus stopped directly in front of us.

Yet I knew Riley had enough time to see Spencer in the middle of his dancing.

But then Riley's whole demeanor changed.

"We've gotta go!"

"What?" I gawked at him, while he suddenly grabbed my arm, and began pulling around the back of the bench, hidden by the bushes and trees.

"Riley, what are you doing!?" I yelped, as he pushed both of us behind the bench and bushes.

"Shh!" He smacked my arm, before stuffing the newspaper into his inner jacket pocket.

I rolled my eyes, and whispered," What's going on, Riley? Was it the police or something?"

"No, worse." Riley then glanced over at me. "Ian."

"Where?" I gasped, looking around nervously.

Riley then motioned, with a twitch of his head back towards the entrance of the Institute," Mister Blondie Surfer Australian and two bald Russians."

"Them?" I questioned, with wide eyes.

Riley nodded, making me sigh, and look down at the dirt ground beneath our feet.

"So how long are we gonna sit here?" I quietly inquired, as my finger boredly traced the letter "A" in the dirt, trying to give it an old styled font.

Riley sighed, making me look up at him curiously. He was starring down at my letter "A".

"Riley?"

Riley quickly and obediently looked up at me with a big smile and his bright blue eyes shinning through his cute-yet nerdy-black rimmed glasses. "Just give it a minute, and then we'll try to sneak out, one by one."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. That was not an original plan. But it would have to suffice for now.


	6. Pretend

**_Pretend_**

_

* * *

_

So we both quietly waited a minute, when Riley motioned for to move first.

I shook my head at his cowardly action, but I understood too that I was better to sneak out first, because I doubt Ian knew who I was or had seen me before.

Thus I nonchalantly got out from the bush and nonchalantly looked around me, pretending to fix my jacket.

"Looks clear," I whispered quietly, while I stood next to the bush.

"Start walking, and I'll meet up with you at the corner." Riley murmured, and I began to saunter over to the corner, looking like I had somewhere to be.

And when I arrived at the corner, I impatiently crossed my arms, mimicking one of the many other impatient people, who looked like they were waiting for a bus to come.

Yet, as I pretended to look for the bus, I spotted Riley walking forward, looking like a college kid, who was just enjoying a stroll.

But behind him I could see Ian and his goons closing-in on Riley, who had no clue.

So I did the first thing I could think of, make Riley seem like he is someone he isn't. After all Ian supposedly knew him.

With that I smiled widely and waved at Riley. And quickly took off running at him, like I was his girlfriend. Riley lifted up an eyebrow, and looked at me-as if I was crazy, but still kept walking forward.

"Kevin! Kevin! There you are! You're running late!" I trilled, as I kept running over towards him, spotting Ian and his goons pause in curiosity, as if to double check and see if this was really Riley.

Riley still starred at me curiously, and stopped in his tracks, when I got right up in front of him.

And, for the sake of Ben's missing treasure, I ran up to Riley, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. Right on the lips.

Riley froze, and when I pulled out of the kiss, I saw Riley starring at me in shock, which his glasses awkwardly titled upon his face, showing that when I kissed him I had bumped his glasses.

I continued to happily smile, like I would have normally have done with my boyfriends, and reached up and cupped his cheek, with one hand, while I got up on my tip toes, and kissed his cheek, allowing me to murmur in his ear," Ian is right behind you! Act!"

That was when Riley kicked it into high gear, and awkwardly reached out with his arms, and placed them upon my hips.

"Are they going?" Riley murmured quietly, as her nervously starred down at me, obviously trying to make it seem (from the behind) that Riley and I were having a quiet intimate conversation.

I sent a quick glance over at Ian and his crew, noticing them starring, before I hear one of the skin heads loudly grunt, in a thick Russian accent," It's not him! He wouldn't ever have girlfriend so hot."

"God damn it!" Ian grunted, and him and his ground began stalking away.

With that I sighed in relief, and nodded to Riley, and looked up and over into his blue eyes. "But just to be safe, I think we should walk back to Ben and Abigail, still pretending, in case Ian is still watching."

Riley nodded, still awkwardly leaving his hands upon my hips.

I then encouraging smiled back at him, waiting for him to make the first move, since guys usually did.

But I think after that few seconds of starring at my encouraging smile, he gulped down his insecurities, and took his hands off of my waist and draped his arm around my shoulder, making me turn around.

I then murmured," Don't take this the wrong way, Riley. After all we're still friends, right?"

Riley lifted up a eyebrow, as he looked over at down at me, while I continued to sweetly smile up at him, and wrapped my arm around his waist, letting my fingers weakly, yet awkwardly, cling to the back pocket of his jeans. Of course, since I wasn't in a relationship with Riley, it only made it all the more awkward touching his butt.

Riley gulped loudly, as instantly looked forward, trying to wear a blank face, but it was obvious his eyes were as wide as hed lights.

I then took a deep breath of my own, and quietly cooed," Everything starts with a step."

With that Riley began to walk, leading us, but still he kept a distracted looking face.

I kept trying to pretend that was just his girlfriend. But to be honest, it was really hard to not smile, because surprisingly Riley had a nice ass.


	7. People Don’t Talk That Way

**_People Don't Talk That Way_**

**_

* * *

_**

Riley and I still walked into Urban Outfitters the same way we left the park across the street from the institute.

In some twisted way, I had become use to Riley and I guess Riley just was stunned and has gone into a robotic state of mind, since I doubt he had ever head a girlfriend who put her hand on his ass like this in public.

I then glanced around the store, not seeing Abigail and Ben, but I heard the voices, over in the changing room area.

So, with a reluctant sigh, and murmured," We should probably find a seat and wait for them to finish changing, you know?"

I glanced up at Riley, who gulped once again, before nodding in agreement.

So, I reluctantly unhooked my hand from his back pocket, and began walking towards a bench, where people waited for other people, while they shopped.

I kept walking, so Riley' arm slid off of me, and I took the lead to the bench. I sat down, only to see Riley trailing behind me.

I leaned back into the leather loveseat, sitting upon my side, only to have Riley sit on his side, noticing like he was trying to keep distance between us, but trying to act normal as if our little "date" thing hadn't happened.

I sighed loudly, enjoying the peace and quiet of the store, and the lack of fear of Ian finding us.

Things were silent between Riley and I for a moment, before Riley cleared his throat and questioned, in an off handed manor," So, why is it that your dad, when he saw Abigail, instantly assumed she was pregnant?"

I sighed and explained, as I let my head roll over to face Riley," Well, my father believes that Ben has been a little too careless with his personal life."

"How so?" Riley questioned, obviously liking he was digging up some dirt on Ben, actually putting both of us back at ease.

I then smiled and explained," Let's just say Ben has said, more than once, 'I love you' to many different persons, who aren't part of the family."

"Really?" Riley smirked, beginning to think was a player.

"Yep," I nodded, letting my head roll back, so I was facing forward and looking at the unamused brunette, who was working to cash register.

Riley then whispered, changing the subject," So has Ben always believed that this treasure is real? Or was it just a hobby thing for him to do with your grandpa?"

I began to reminisce about my old childhood memories with my grandfather and Ben, who he would tell us the old stories and legends, feeding our imaginations and need to become historians. "Ben has dreamt its real, since our grandfather told us about it. You know-"I rolled my head back over and looked directly up into Riley's big blue eyes"-he wants to hold it. He thinks he is so close, he can taste it."

Riley chuckled and nodded in agreement, still looking back into my eyes.

"Anyways, he just wants to know it's not just something in his head or in his heart, to represent our grandfather or the love he lacks for our father."

"What about you?" Riley smiled, but as if to comfort and reassure me," Why don't you believe in it?"

I lost my smile, but still starred up at his eyes. "At one point in everyone's lives you have to choose if you are going to follow in the family's footsteps or crave a new path out for yourself. And I chose to crave a new path, separate of the Gates family."

Quietly I confided further, as I looked down at the scarf hanging from my neck," To be honest, when I was a child I didn't want to have anything to do with history in my career, but it's in my blood. So the next thing I did to distance myself from my family was to move far away for college. But my parents divorced and my father lost his good health, then my grandfather suddenly died, and I was forced to come back here and attend college here. So no matter how hard I try-"I paused and looked up at Riley's eyes"-I seem never able to distance myself from the Gates family."

"But that didn't answer my question." Riley murmured, with a slight frown.

I sighed," I chose not to believe in the treasure, just to be different and not part of the Gates family history. But really, even as a child, I always hopped that Ben was right and that there was a treasure somewhere waiting to be found."

Everything was silent for a couple of seconds, when Riley blurted out," People don't talk that way, Dra."

I giggled," I know, but they think that way."

Riley smiled and chuckled at me, when we noticed Ben and Abigail walking towards the cash register in front of us.

So without a second thought, both Riley and I jumped up.

Too bad, I really wished I could have continued that conversation with Riley.


	8. Riddles

**_Riddles_**

_

* * *

_

"Did you get it?" Ben pressed, as Riley and I stood there with proud smiles.

"Oh yeah we got it," I proudly smirked, while Riley pulled out his newspaper and read aloud," The vision to see the treasure past comes as the timely shadow crosses in front of the house of Pass and-"

"Stow!" I added quickly, still feeling my smile go broadly across my face.

Then Riley explained further, trying to show off the Ben and Abigail his newly obtained knowledge and not seeming at all offended by me cutting him off," Now, 'Pass and Stow,' of course referring to-"

"The Liberty Bell." Abigail and Ben muttered at the same time.

Riley groaned and his face fell, yet still I kept smiling," Why do you have to do that?" Obviously upset that they didn't let him have his moment, like I had let him do in front of the Institute.

"Well," Abigail began while I reassuringly patted Riley's shoulder. "John Pass and John Stow cast the bell."

"Ok," Riley grunted with some attitude. While I questioned," What does the rest mean, Obi-Wan Kenobi?" I teased Ben.

"Nice," Riley looked over at me, and held up a hand for a high-five.

"Oh yeah," I giggled and high-fived him back, making both Abigail and Ben stare at us then roll their eyes. I then thoughtfully added, as I returned back to my original pose," But I always liked Spock better."

"Me too," Riley looked astonished that we had this in common. But when Ben cleared his throat, Riley and I both wore scowls at him interrupting our connection.

Ben then put back on his "thinking" face. "'The vision to see the treasured past' must refer to a wat to read the map."

I sighed and closed my eyes in thought, as I leaned against a table next to Riley and me, which had sunglasses on display.

"Well, I thought the cipher was the map." Riley commented in a lost manor, pressing his pencil to his lips and tapping the used newspaper against his thigh.

"No," Ben sighed in explanation to Riley, as he and Riley changed spots and Ben now stood next to me. "The cipher was a way to find the way to read the map."

"And the way to read the map can be found, where the 'timely shadow' crosses in front of the Liberty Bell." I opened my eyes, only to see three sets of eyes starring at me, in a curious manor.

"What?" I shrugged my shoulders. "I like riddles."

Ben then looked back over at Abigail and Riley, before adding off of my thoughts," It crosses in front of the house of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall."

"Right," Abigail began, while Riley just kept looking at all of us, looking completely confused," so 'timely shadow' means a specific time."

Ben smiled, giving Abigail one of those goo-goo eyed smiles, since she was practically right on top of him.

"Uh," Riley began making me look back over at him," what time would that be?"

Then within a flash Ben and Abigail broke apart. It was almost like high school days, when Ben was awkward and if he realized he was having a moment with a girl he quickly found some way to mess it all up.

"What time? What time?" Ben chantnged under his breath in thought, eyes squinting hard in thought. But then Ben smirked, and patted Abigail's shoulder as if to reassure her. "Wait a minute, wait. You're gonna love this."

With that Ben pushed himself back up to the counter top, to the cashier. "Excuse me, can I see one those hundred-dollar bills I paid you with?"

I rolled my eyes, at his ridiculous request, since no one in their right mind would give Ben a hundred-dollars.

"No." She shook her head, looking at him as if he was the stupidest man on the planet.

"Oh. Well, uh," Ben looked shocked, but then began pulling at his watch. "Here. I have this diver's watch."

The cashier lifted up an eyebrow, and continued to listen to Ben, as he pulled off his watch, and handed it to here. "It's called a Submariner. I dive with it. It's actually quite valuable. You can use it as collateral."

"Whatever," She shrugged, as she took the watch and passed Ben the hundred dollar bill.

"Thank you." Ben nodded, before he turned to face Abigail, giving his back to me and Riley.

Instantly upon Riley's face, I could see his dislike. He obviously hated that Ben had taken a big interest in Abigail, and didn't talk to him as often.

"On the back of a hundred-dollar bill is an etching of Independence Hall, based on-"

The cashier stopped him from going further, as she held out the bill for him to take from her hands. "Hello!"

"Thank you." Ben paused his explanation to Abigail, and took the hundred dollar bill from the disgruntled cashier.

He then went back to Abigail," a painting in the seventeen eighties, who-"

Ben then looked over at the cashier and happily explained, with a chuckle," The artist was actually a friend of Benjamin Franklin's. It's wonderful!"

"Fascinating," the clerk sarcastically rolled her eyes, thus allowing me to tease Ben," Back to the point, Ben."

Instantly Ben turned to face Abigail, and handed her the Declaration. "Hold this."

"Ok," Abigail smiled, and securely tucked it under her arm. Making Ben stare at her unsurely. But she just smirked," I'm not going anywhere."

I rolled my eyes, and overheard a groan from Riley, as he began to make his way next to Ben. We were both starting to get of their puppy-love act.

Ben then unfolded the dollar, motioning for me to come closer, since I still stood back and let Abigail and Riley crowd around Ben. But I pushed my way up in-between Riley and Ben, and I starred over at the back of the dollar bill.

"Now, I think that if we look at this clock tower," Ben then picked up a Aquafina water bottle that was on display and held it close to his eye, using it as a magnifying glass. "We may find the specific time."

Ben kept adjusting the bottle and the dollar-bill, making all of us nervously hold or breaths.

"What do you see?" Abigail pressed.

After a pause Ben announced, "Two, twenty-two."

"What time is it now?" Abigail quizzed in return, still starring down at the dollar-bill.

The cashier then sighed, and looked down at Ben's watch," Almost three."

Ben, Abigail, and I each let out groan. We were so late. So late that we had a better chance of being caught by the police then finding out if there really was a treasure at the end of this rainbow.

"We missed it." I groaned, leaning forward and resting my head down upon the counter top in defeat, while Ben and the cashier exchanged the watch and the dollar-bill again.

Suddenly Riley piped," No, we didn't."

I curiously tilted up and looked up at Riley, from the counter top. He must have been smoking or drinking something, when I wasn't looking.

"We didn't miss it because…uh…" Riley then suddenly chuckled and looked around at my face then Ben and Abigail's bewildered faces. "You don't know this?"

I lifted up my head, and spotted Abigail and Ben shaking their heads. It got me to wondering. What was Riley thinking of? How was he so sure?

"I-I know something about history that you don't know." Riley happily piped, basking in the glory once again.

I narrowed my eyes at him in an impatient manor, while Ben voiced, with his own impatience," I'd be very excited to learn about it, Riley."

"Well, hold on one second, let me just…" Riley to a deep breath," let me just take in this moment. This is…this is cool. Is this how you feel all the time? Because, you know…Except for now, of course."

I then reached out and pinched Riley's arm.

"Ow!" Riley complained, grabbing at his arm and rubbing it to ease the pain. "Alright then."

Riley then sighed in defeat and explained, rather quickly," What I know is that daylight savings wasn't established until World War One. If it's three pm now, okay, that means in seventeen seventy-six, it would be two pm."

Suddenly, as if had been hit by a truck everything made sense. Oh my god! Why didn't I think of that! I couldn't believe that Riley had actually thought of that.

"Let's go!" Abigail quickly pushed herself off of the counter top and began walking towards the exit.

"Riley, you're a genius." Ben consoled, before he began walking off, after Abigail.

I smiled widely at Riley, as we both stood there at the counter still. Riley smirked back at me, as if he was trying to be all macho and what not.

"And they left you in the van." I giggled at him, and followed behind my brother.

But after I started walking away, I heard Riley start walking behind me. But this time he began pressing his luck.

"Do you actually know who the first person to suggest daylight savings was?"

Then in unison, Ben, Abigail, and I groaned, in answer," Benjamin Franklin".

Riley groaned loudly actually thinking we didn't know about it, thus causing me to look over my shoulder at him. I just sent him a reassuring smile.

Yet instantly, Riley's eyes lightened up and a small, seemingly embarrassed, smile spread across his lips. It was adorable!


	9. Three TwentyTwo, My Idea

**_Three Twenty-Two, My Idea_**

**_

* * *

_**

"Imagine its impact back in the eighteenth century," the tour guide drowned on, as Riley, Abigail, Ben, and I followed behind the edge of the group. "It could have been seen for miles around, which was exactly its purpose, because it served as a beacon, as it were-"

Ben then nonchalantly turned off of the group, into another room.

Abigail followed behind Ben next, and that was when I noticed Riley was going to keep walking right on and pass us.

So I reached out and grabbed Riley's hand, and pulled him in the right direction, as I started walking.

Ben then took a sharp turn around the corner and up straights that were closed off by rope.

Abigail jumped up over the rope next, making me pause and questioningly look at the rope.

I then glanced up at Ben and Abigail, wishing I was just slightly taller, so I could easily step over it.

"Need some help?" Riley questioned, reminding me I was still holding onto his hand.

"No," sourly unlatched my hand from Riley's and in a determined manor-just like I had all my life, began grabbing onto the railing and tried to step over the rope.

I was just about to get my foot on the stair, when I noticed my leg was too short for the distance.

But then I felt an odd nudge, and my foot managed to touch the stair.

I stepped up onto the stairs, and looked back at Riley, who has a supportive hand upon my lower back and waist.

"Thanks," I kindly whispered back to him, only seeing him simply nod with a big smile.

"Come on!" Ben quietly urged, instantly making me run up the stairs behind Abigail, forcing myself to turn around and ignore Riley, as we both raced up the stairs and onto a landing, then up another set of stairs again. Then up into the clock tower itself.

Eventually we reached the top of the steeple, and one right after the other we got up into the old holding area of the Liberty Bell.

"What bell is this?" Riley questioned, looking right at the Bell next to us.

"It's the Centennial Bell." I answered, as followed behind Abigail. But then took over for me, as Riley got up and followed behind me. "It replaced the Liberty Bell in eighteen seventy-six."

Then we all came to a stop and looked through the openings down to grounds below us.

"What time is it?" I questioned, looking over at Ben.

"Exactly…three twenty two." Ben sighed, and quickly began looking around.

We were all curiously looking around, for some sign, until Abigail pointed down below at the roof," There it is."

And upon the bricks, you could easily see the shadow being casted.

Benn then sighed, and looked between Abigail, Riley, and me," All right. I'm gonna go down there, any you meet me in the signing room. Ok? Alright?"

"It's okay, Ben," I patted his shoulder," we've got everything under control."

So with that we each began going our separate ways, thus causing Abigail to led Riley and me back down the stairs and ladder.

Of course, Riley like a child couldn't help reminding me, as we both waited for Abigail to make her way down the ladder first," Three twenty-two. My idea."


	10. Heere At The Wall

_**Heere At The Wall**

* * *

_

Impatiently the three of us waited for Ben, as he went off on his own little adventure once again.

I sighed loudly, and looked around the old signing room. I couldn't help but imagine that the last time the declaration was in here, it was being signed by those brave men who help create our country oh so long ago.

"Whacha thinking?" Riley questioned in a drawn out manor, making me lift up an eyebrow and look over at him, from my spot next to the window ledge.

Riley smiled widely at me in encouragement, while Abigail impatiently continued to pace around the room.

"Just thinking about the last time the Declaration of Independence was in here it was being signed." I mused, trying not to be too loud and alert them of our status.

"Oh," Riley lost his smile, obviously not finding my thoughts to his liking.

Then Ben pranced into the room.

"Hey!" Riley quickly ran up to Ben, with Abigail and me right behind him," What'd you score?"

"I found this." Ben then smoothly pulled out a set of ancient looking spectacles, and held them for us to see. "Some kind of ocular device."

I couldn't help but muse, as I continued to curiously study the device with my eyes," The vision to see the treasured past."

Ben then passed the glasses over to Abigail, and took the Declaration from her arm.

Abigail starred at them for a second, before passing them over to me.

Riley hovered right next to me, and commented," Aw, they're like early American X-ray specs."

I rolled my eyes, and countered to Riley's comment," Benjamin Franklin invented something like these."

"Uh…"Suddenly Ben interrupted," I think he invented these."

I looked over at Ben, who had begun to pull out the Declaration.

I gently unfolded the spectacles, while Riley questioned again," So, what do we do with them?"

"We look through it." I looked up at Riley, sending him a stare, trying to show him my distaste of his moronic question-because would do you do with spectacles.

Riley rolled his eyes back me, while I went back to my examination of the spectacles, and held them up in front of my eyes.

They looked seemingly normal, but color tinted, like 3-D glasses.

"Riley, help!" Abigail grunted, instantly making Riley snap out of his daze, and look at the spectacles and began helping Abigail hold the Declaration, and open it up.

As soon as it was completely unraveled, Ben paused and let out a deep breath.

"What?" Riley questioned him with an anxious tone.

Ben then answered with a deep breath," It's just that the last time this was here, it was being signed."

Riley groaned, and murmured," Ben, there's another tour coming, and your sister had already enlightened us with this piece of information."

"Turn it over," Ben sighed in defeat, while I continued to examine the glasses.

"Careful!" Abigail warned.

Put once it was completely turned over, Ben held out his hand," Spectacles."

I carefully handed them over to Ben, and took it edges of holding onto the paper.

I watched Ben gently push them onto his face, before he centered his eye line onto the back of the paper.

Then he loudly gasped. Then he gasped again and again.

"What?" I questioned.

"What do you see?" Abigail pressed.

"What is it?" Riley anxiously questioned," Is it a treasure map?"

Ben then took a deep breath," It says, 'Here at the wall,' spelled with two E's."

Ben the peeled off the spectacles, and held them out. "Take a look."

Instantly I reached out and grabbed them before anyone else could. I pushed them up onto my noise, and looked down at the paper.

"Oh my god." I gasped, as I saw the hidden message.

I took them off of my noise, and looked over at Ben. "My god, do you realize how amazing this is?"

Ben nodded back to me, with an "I told you so" smile.

I then took them off of my noise, and held them out for someone to take-which was Abigail, who let out her own share of 'oo's and 'ah's."

Riley sighed in a disgruntled manor," Why can't they just say,' Go to this place, and here's the treasure, spend it wisely.'?"

I just giggled at Riley, and teased," That's not a real treasure hunt, then, Riley."

"Oh, no."

"What?" I questioned looking at Ben, who was starring out at the window.

"Oh, no." Abigail gasped, when I saw the skin head and Ian standing outside.

"Oh, no." I seconded.

Riley ran up to the window, and pulled back the curtains to get a better look. "How'd they find us?"

In a rush Abigail and I began rolling up the paper, while Ben explained, holding onto the glasses," Well, Ian has nearly unlimited resources. And he's smart."

"I don't think we can get out of here without being spotted." Abigail confided loudly.

"Well, we don't want them to have the Declaration, or the glasses." Ben began, and I knew what he was thinking.

I then finished for him," But we especially don't want them to have then both together."

"So what do we do?" Riley questioned looking at Abigail, Ben, then me.

I then explained, for Ben," We separate the lock from the key."

"We're splitting up." Ben announced.

"Good idea." I smirked, while Riley questioned yet again," Really?"

"You take this," Ben passed me the empty document container. "I'll take this," Ben put the glasses inside of his coat pocket. Ben then motioned to Abigail," You keep the map."

Ben then announced, I slung the container over my arm," Meet me at the car and call me if you have any problems."

"Like if we get caught and killed?" Riley nervously stammered.

"Yeah. That would be a big problem." Ben starred at Riley blankly.

He then looked at Abigail, Riley, and me," Take care of her."

"I will." We all answered in unison, as Ben began walking away.

Then in a moment of rare stupidity we all starred at one another, before realizing we had all said "I will".

I sighed first, and began walking out behind Ben," I'll see ya guys around."

"You're going by yourself?" Riley question behind me.

I nodded, as I walked backwards looking back at Riley and Abigail. "Stay safe you two!"

Riley starred at me in shock, while Abigail began making her way towards another exit, pulling onto Riley.

I sent both of them one last wave, before I began to nonchalantly walking away.


	11. Take A Walk With Me

**_Take A Walk With Me_**

_

* * *

_Anxiously I began walking down the side walk, walking a scenic route towards my father's car.

I sighed, as I walked through the park, trying to keep to the crowds. Just incase someone might be following me.

I spotted an armed guard walking around the park, instantly making me turn sharply in the other direction.

Yet this was when I noticed the skinhead and Ian walking after me.

Instantly I turned my head in another direction, and began walking in the opposite direction of the car.

"Time to run." I murmured to myself, as I began racing through the park and out into a shopping district.

Then from the shopping district I jogged back into the park, not once looking back behind me-in fear that I would run into something and make me stop.

But my curiosity got the best of me, and I turned around, only to see Ian and the bald guy right behind me.

But much to my lack of coordination, I ran right into someone, only to fall flat on my ass.

I groaned in pain, as I began to get, only to feel a strong bulky hand grabbing at my sweater collar.

"Hey!" I shouted, as I was roughly manhandled.

But then I felt a hard metal object jabbed against my back, and an Australian accent echoed into my ear," Hello, Andrea. Why don't you take a walk with me and my friend here, back to our car."

"Not until hell freezes over," my mouth uncontrollable snapped, and I instantly regretted, because the object-which I assumed was a gun-got pushed again into my back, making me wince in pain, as I was still held up.

"Be a good girl now, and walk with us."

I cringed, and let myself get pushed forward.

Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have looked back.

I hope Ben, Abigail, and Riley are doing better then me.

But luckily, Ian had nothing…but me.


End file.
